What is?
Dedicated Hosting Service
A dedicated hosting service, dedicated server, or managed hosting service is a type of Internet hosting where the client leases an entire server not shared with anyone. This is more flexible than shared hosting, as organizations have full control over the server(s), including choice of operating system, hardware, etc. Server administration can usually be provided by the hosting company as an add-on service. In some cases a dedicated server can offer less overhead and a larger return on investment. Dedicated servers are most often housed in data centers, similar to colocation facilities, providing redundant power sources and HVAC systems. In contrast to colocation, the server hardware is owned by the provider and in some cases they will provide support for your operating system or applications.
Operating System Support
Support for any operating system typically depends on the level of management offered with a particular dedicated server plan. Operating system support may include updates to the core system in order to acquire the latest security patches, fixes, and system-wide vulnerability resolutions. Updates to core operating systems include kernel upgrades, service packs, application updates, and security patches that keep server secure and safe. Operating system updates and support relieves the burden of server management from the dedicated server owner.
Colo provides you with a managed support solution on all dedicated hosting server plans. This will include the installation of your operating system, provisioning, testing, deployment of security patches. With Colo’s dedicated hosting service we closely monitor your dedicated server to identify and resolve any issues to provide the highest uptime and performance. We are working hard to earn your business. You can read more about Colo’s Dedicated Hosting Standard Features and Tier options here or Contact our team of dedicated hosting specialists, we’re ready to help. We’ll be happy to answer any questions that you might have. Call toll free at 1-866-316-2656 or email us through our request a call back form on this page (right).
Bandwidth & Connectivity
Bandwidth refers to the data transfer rate or the amount of data that can be carried from one point to another in a given time period (usually a second) and is often represented in bits (of data) per second (bps). For example, visitors to your server, web site, or applications utilize bandwidth as the traffic moves from your server to the Internet and vice versa. Connectivity refers to the “access providers” that supply bandwidth, or data transfer rate, through various connection points across a network or footprint to one or multiple data centers where dedicated servers are housed.
Bandwidth measurements are defined (per telecom standards) as the following:
- First – 95th (measured using average bits and speed of transfer)
- Second – Unmetered (measured in speed or bits)
- Third – Total Transfer (measured in bytes transferred)
95th Method: Line Speed, billed on the 95th percentile, average or peak usage, refers to the speed in which data flows from the server or device. The measurement can be compared to mph (Miles Per Hour), or how fast something travels. Line Speed is measured using bits per second, kilobits per second, megabits per second, and gigabits per second.
Unmetered Method: The second bandwidth measurement is Unmetered service where providers cap or control the “top line” speed for a server. Top line speed in Unmetered bandwidth is the total Mbit/s allocated to the server and configured on the switch level. For example, if you purchase 10 Mbit/s Unmetered bandwidth, the top line speed would be 10 Mbit/s. 10 Mbit/s would result in the provider controlling the speed transfers take place while providing the ability for the dedicated server owner to not be charged with bandwidth overages. Unmetered bandwidth services usually incur an additional charge.
Total Transfer Method: Some providers will calculate the Total Transfer, the measurement of actual data leaving and coming from the server, measured in bytes. Measurement between providers varies and includes one of the following equations:
- Method 1: IN TRAFFIC + OUT TRAFFIC = TOTAL TRANSFER
- Method 2: IN TRAFFIC = TOTAL TRANSFER
- Method 3: OUT TRAFFIC = TOTAL TRANSFER
One of the reasons people choose to outsource dedicated servers is the availability of high powered networks from multiple providers. As dedicated server providers utilize massive amounts of bandwidth, they are able to secure lower volume based pricing to include a multi-provider blend of bandwidth. To achieve the same type of network without a multi-provider blend of bandwidth, a large investment in core routers, long term contracts, and expensive monthly bills would need to be in place. The expenses needed to develop a network without a multi-provider blend of bandwidth does not make sense economically for hosting providers.
Bandwidth consumption over the last several years has shifted from a per megabit usage model to a per gigabyte usage model. Bandwidth was traditionally measured in line speed access that included the ability to purchase needed megabits at a given monthly cost. As the shared hosting model developed, the trend towards gigabyte or total bytes transferred, replaced the megabit line speed model so dedicated server providers started offering per gigabyte.
Prominent players in the dedicated server market offer large amounts of bandwidth ranging from 500 gigabytes to 3000 gigabytes using the “overselling” model. It is not uncommon for major players to provide dedicated servers with 1Terabyte (TB) of bandwidth or higher. Usage models based on the byte level measurement usually include a given amount of bandwidth with each server and a price per gigabyte after a certain threshold has been reached. Expect to pay additional fees for bandwidth overage usage. For example, if a dedicated server has been given 3000 gigabytes of bandwidth per month and the customer uses 5000 gigabytes of bandwidth within the billing period, the additional 2000 gigabytes of bandwidth will be invoiced as bandwidth overage. Each provider has a different model for billing. As of yet, no industry standards have been set.
Colo’s dedicated hosting service has a backbone powered by Level 3 ™ and Internap. Level 3 ™ has built an advanced fiber-optic network utilizing Internet Protocol (IP) based technology. The Level 3 ™ network combines both local and long distance networks connecting customer’s end-to-end. The company has 92 markets in service; 72 in the United States and 20 in Europe.
The Internap P-NAP Network backbone, Colo’s dedicated hosting service also provides, uses it’s patented technology and the existing Internet network infrastructure, Internap created an innovative way to route data and avoid the Internet's points of congestion. Rather than provisioning traditional single Internet Service Provider(ISP) network access, Performance IP service intelligently routes across up to 8 integrated Network Service Providers (NSP) networks in the Internap Private Network Access Points (P-NAPs). This insulates your traffic from the risk of network outages, providing reliable, stable and predictable connectivity.
Many dedicated server providers include a service level agreement) based on network uptime. Some dedicated server hosting providers offer a 100% uptime guarantee on their network. By securing multiple vendors for connectivity and using redundant hardware, providers are able to guarantee higher uptimes; usually between 99-100% uptime if they are a higher quality provider. One aspect of higher quality providers is they are mostly likely multi-homed across multiple quality uplink providers, which in turn, provides significant redundancy in the event one goes down in addition to potentially improved routes to destinations.
Unlike our competition, Internap approaches customer service and support proactively. Through constant network monitoring and management, we are able to alert our customers to network issues and correct them efficiently. Internap has purposefully defined our Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to lead the industry, so customers get reliable performance supported with proactive service and crediting - that's why our agreement is a guarantee.
Guaranteed North American performance metrics includes: 100% network availability,less than 45 milliseconds latency, less than 0.3% packet loss, and less than 0.5 millisecond jitter. In case there is ever a problem with the service, we provide 24x7x365 direct access to certified networking engineers in our Network Operations Centers (NOCs), not ticket takers. Our certified network engineers have the expertise and visibility into all major Internet backbones to see and resolve issues quickly and effectively.
Colo’s dedicated hosting service provides a secure full service network operation center with 24-7-365 on location remote hands to keep your business' mission critical services online. Contact our team of web hosting specialists, we’re ready to help. We’ll be happy to answer any questions that you might have. Call toll free at 1-866-316-2656 or email us through our request a call back form on this page(top right).
Management
To date, no industry standards have been set to clearly define the management role of dedicated server providers. What this means is that each provider will use industry standard terms, but each provider will define them differently. For some dedicated server providers, fully managed is defined as having a web based control panel while other providers define it as having dedicated system engineers readily available to handle all server and network related functions of the dedicated server provider.
Server management can include some or all of the following:
- Operating system updates
- Application updates
- Server monitoring
- Simple Network Management Protocol hardware monitoring
- Application monitoring
- Technical support
- Firewall services
- Antivirus updates
- Security audits
- DDoS protection and mitigation
- Intrusion detection
- Backups and restoration
- Disaster recovery
- DNS hosting service
- Load balancing
- Database administration
- Performance tuning
- Software installation and configuration
- User management
- Programming consultation
Dedicated hosting server providers define their level of management based on the services they provide. In comparison, fully managed could equal self managed from provider to provider.
Administrative maintenance of the operating system, often including upgrades, security patches, and sometimes even daemon updates are included. Differing levels of management may include adding users, domains, daemon configuration, or even custom programming.
Dedicated server hosting providers may provide the following types of server managed support:
- Fully Managed - Includes monitoring, software updates, reboots, security patches and operating system upgrades. Customers are completely hands-off.
- Managed - Includes medium level of management, monitoring, updates, and a limited amount of support. Customers may perform specific tasks.
- Self Managed - Includes regular monitoring and some maintenance. Customers provide most operations and tasks on dedicated server.
- Unmanaged - Little to no involvement from service provider. Customers provide all maintenance, upgrades, patches, and security.
Note: The provider will continue to maintain security on the network regardless of support level.
Colo’s dedicated hosting service provides a secure full service network operation center with 24-7-365 on location remote hands to keep your business' mission critical services online. Contact our team of certified specialists, we’re ready to help. We’ll be happy to answer any questions that you might have. Call toll free at 1-866-316-2656 or email us through our request a call back form on this page(top right).
Security
Dedicated hosting server providers utilize extreme security measures to ensure the safety of data stored on their network of servers. Providers will often deploy various software programs for scanning systems and networks for obtrusive invaders, spammers, hackers, and other harmful problems such as Trojans, worms, and eggdrops (see "Limitations" below). Linux and Windows use different software for security protection.
Limitations
Many providers do not allow IRC (bots, clients or daemons). This is due to rogue IRC users triggering DDoS attacks against the provider, which may overwhelm their networks, lowering service quality for all customers.
Adult content is disallowed by many providers as it may either be of questionable legality or consume large amounts of bandwidth.
Spam is usually prohibited by the provider's Acceptable Use Policy.
Extra Features
Useful features for dedicated servers may be included, or cost additional monthly fees:
- Serial Console or KVM/IP - this is used to gain access to a server if for some reason the user is unable to get in via normal means (e.g. ssh), and permits a server to be recovered from boot-time configuration faults, such as filesystem recovery.
- Automated restore of operation system (OS) - an automated system can be used to restore the server to its original configuration.
- Remote Backup Space - ssh/FTP (File Transfer Protocol) space to backup data stored on the server.
- ColdFusion (MX) - ColdFusion is the rapid server scripting environment for creating Rich Internet Applications.
- SQL Server - Dedicated Server hosting Microsoft SQL databases and typically incur additional hosting fees.
- Oracle - Dedicated Server hosting Oracle databases and typically incur additional hosting fees.
Colo’s dedicated hosting service provides you with a managed support solution on all dedicated hosting server plans. This will include the installation of your operating system, provisioning, testing, deployment of security patches. With Colo’s dedicated hosting service we closely monitor your dedicated server to identify and resolve any issues to provide the highest uptime and performance. We are working hard to earn your business. You can read more about Colo’s Dedicated Hosting Standard Features and Tier options here or Contact our team of dedicated hosting specialists, we’re ready to help. We’ll be happy to answer any questions that you might have. Call toll free at 1-866-316-2656 or email us through our request a call back form on this page (top right).